The Functioning of the Five Universal Mental Factors

In the universal mental factors (the five universal mental factors), "accompanying everything" means that the five universal mental factors accompany all consciousnesses and accompany all dharmas. As long as any consciousness is operating, the five universal mental factors must be operating; apart from the five universal mental factors, a consciousness cannot operate, cannot exist, and cannot engage in cognitive activity. Therefore, on all dharmas there are also the five universal mental factors of consciousness, because on all dharmas there is at least the operation of the eighth consciousness and the seventh consciousness, and the five universal mental factors necessarily accompany the operation of these two consciousnesses.

The meaning of the five universal mental factors arising together with one another is that these mental factors arise and operate as a group. For example, when the eighth consciousness gives rise to a dharma, all five universal mental factors must accompany the eighth consciousness throughout its operation from beginning to end, without a single one missing. However, this is not necessarily so for the sixth and seventh consciousnesses. After the sixth and seventh consciousnesses direct attention (manaskāra), if they are not interested, there will be no contact (sparśa)—especially in the case of the seventh consciousness, the manas. After contact, feeling (vedanā) does not necessarily arise—especially in the case of the seventh consciousness, the manas. After feeling, perception (saṃjñā) does not necessarily arise—especially in the case of the seventh consciousness, the manas. After perception, volition (cetanā) does not necessarily follow—especially in the case of the seventh consciousness, the manas. If the manas's mental factors do not continue to operate, the six consciousnesses cannot appear; even if they appear, they will cease and stop operating. In particular, if the manas's volition mental factor (cetanā) does not arise, none of the six consciousnesses can appear. From this one can see the kingly, ruling position of the manas—how great His power is.

The Buddha's teaching is profound; if one's contemplation is even slightly lacking in power, deviations will arise, and the vast majority of people's contemplation contains deviations that they themselves cannot detect. It is precisely because their own contemplation lacks power that, having no alternative, they place one hundred percent trust in the words of famous figures, rely on a ready-made answer, take it as ultimate, believe this is reliable, and remain unaware even when they are wrong. This is an extremely widespread phenomenon in the current Buddhist community.